Windows 11 may be the latest version of the Windows operating system, but if you are still using Windows 10 and you need to reinstall the operating system (“clean install”) or you want to install it for the first time or upgrade on an older PC, then you need a Windows 10 ISO file.
Using the Windows 10 ISO file is the best method to install Windows 10 in either case. The ISO file is a complete copy of a Windows installation disc, stored in a single file. This approach is particularly useful when you don't have a physical copy of Windows 10 or when you need to perform a clean install to refresh or troubleshoot your system.
Fortunately, it is possible to download the Windows 10 ISO file for free. This can easily be done via the official Microsoft website, where you can find the latest version of the file. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to download this file for free and then install Windows 10 on your PC using the ISO file. This process involves downloading the file, preparing a suitable storage medium such as a USB drive or DVD, and following the installation instructions to ensure a smooth transition to Windows 10.
Windows 10 ISO file download
There are several ways to download the Windows 10 ISO file. I explain all the ways that can be somewhat useful in this article.
Download Windows 10 ISO directly from Microsoft
It is currently no longer possible to download the ISO file for Windows 10 directly from the Microsoft website. At least, not if you use Windows. It is recommended to use the installation assistant for this. If you still need the ISO file, you can still download it via a detour. This is how.
To get started, open your browser. I recommend using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Then install the following browser extension: User Agent Switcher. Set the browser extension to “Safari” > “Safari (Mac) 7”.
Now open in the same browser the Microsoft page to download the Windows 10 ISO. Select the desired ISO and click “Confirm”.
Follow the steps to get it Windows 10 ISO file can still be downloaded via the official Microsoft website.
Note: Don't forget to reset the user agent or delete the browser extension from your browser.
Download Windows 10 ISO directly via Rufus
Another recommended way to download Windows 10 ISO file to your computer is through Rufus.
Rufus is a free, open-source software program for Windows that allows you to create bootable USB drives. It is especially useful for situations where you need to install an operating system from a USB drive, for example when installing Windows 10. However, it can also be used to download ISO files directly to your computer. This is how it works.
Download Rufus to your computer. At the top right, change “Select” to “Download” and click the “Download” button.
Select the one you want Windows 10 version and click “Continue.
The last step is to enable the “Download via browser” option. After this, Rufus will download the latest version of the Windows 10 ISO file to your computer via the standard browser.
You can then use this ISO file to Windows 10 can be installed via, for example, Rufus on USB. You can then use this USB to clean install Windows 10 on a computer.
I hope this helped you. Thank you for reading!